diff --git a/src/gateway/server.ts b/src/gateway/server.ts
index 62563ad0f..052add7b1 100644
--- a/src/gateway/server.ts
+++ b/src/gateway/server.ts
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ import chalk from "chalk";
 import { type WebSocket, WebSocketServer } from "ws";
 import { createDefaultDeps } from "../cli/deps.js";
 import { agentCommand } from "../commands/agent.js";
-import { getHealthSnapshot } from "../commands/health.js";
+import { getHealthSnapshot, type HealthSummary } from "../commands/health.js";
 import { getStatusSummary } from "../commands/status.js";
 import { loadConfig } from "../config/config.js";
 import {
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ const METHODS = [
   "chat.send",
 ];
 
-const EVENTS = ["agent", "chat", "presence", "tick", "shutdown"];
+const EVENTS = ["agent", "chat", "presence", "tick", "shutdown", "health"];
 
 export type GatewayServer = {
   close: () => Promise<void>;
@@ -76,6 +76,9 @@ export type GatewayServer = {
 let presenceVersion = 1;
 let healthVersion = 1;
 let seq = 0;
+let healthCache: HealthSummary | null = null;
+let healthRefresh: Promise<HealthSummary> | null = null;
+let broadcastHealthUpdate: ((snap: HealthSummary) => void) | null = null;
 // Track per-run sequence to detect out-of-order/lost agent events.
 const agentRunSeq = new Map<string, number>();
 
@@ -94,8 +97,9 @@ function buildSnapshot(): Snapshot {
 
 const MAX_PAYLOAD_BYTES = 512 * 1024; // cap incoming frame size
 const MAX_BUFFERED_BYTES = 1.5 * 1024 * 1024; // per-connection send buffer limit
-const HANDSHAKE_TIMEOUT_MS = 3000;
+const HANDSHAKE_TIMEOUT_MS = 10_000;
 const TICK_INTERVAL_MS = 30_000;
+const HEALTH_REFRESH_INTERVAL_MS = 60_000;
 const DEDUPE_TTL_MS = 5 * 60_000;
 const DEDUPE_MAX = 1000;
 const LOG_VALUE_LIMIT = 240;
@@ -228,6 +232,24 @@ function formatError(err: unknown): string {
   return JSON.stringify(err, null, 2);
 }
 
+async function refreshHealthSnapshot(opts?: { probe?: boolean }) {
+  if (!healthRefresh) {
+    healthRefresh = (async () => {
+      const snap = await getHealthSnapshot(undefined, opts);
+      healthCache = snap;
+      healthVersion += 1;
+      if (broadcastHealthUpdate) {
+        broadcastHealthUpdate(snap);
+      }
+      return snap;
+    })();
+    healthRefresh.finally(() => {
+      healthRefresh = null;
+    });
+  }
+  return healthRefresh;
+}
+
 export async function startGatewayServer(port = 18789): Promise<GatewayServer> {
   const releaseLock = await acquireGatewayLock().catch((err) => {
     // Bubble known lock errors so callers can present a nice message.
@@ -332,11 +354,29 @@ export async function startGatewayServer(port = 18789): Promise<GatewayServer> {
     }
   };
 
+  broadcastHealthUpdate = (snap: HealthSummary) => {
+    broadcast("health", snap, {
+      stateVersion: { presence: presenceVersion, health: healthVersion },
+    });
+  };
+
   // periodic keepalive
   const tickInterval = setInterval(() => {
     broadcast("tick", { ts: Date.now() }, { dropIfSlow: true });
   }, TICK_INTERVAL_MS);
 
+  // periodic health refresh to keep cached snapshot warm
+  const healthInterval = setInterval(() => {
+    void refreshHealthSnapshot({ probe: true }).catch((err) =>
+      logError(`health refresh failed: ${formatError(err)}`),
+    );
+  }, HEALTH_REFRESH_INTERVAL_MS);
+
+  // Prime cache so first client gets a snapshot without waiting.
+  void refreshHealthSnapshot({ probe: true }).catch((err) =>
+    logError(`initial health refresh failed: ${formatError(err)}`),
+  );
+
   // dedupe cache cleanup
   const dedupeCleanup = setInterval(() => {
     const now = Date.now();
@@ -541,10 +581,10 @@ export async function startGatewayServer(port = 18789): Promise<GatewayServer> {
           });
           presenceVersion += 1;
           const snapshot = buildSnapshot();
-          // Fill health asynchronously for snapshot
-          const health = await getHealthSnapshot(undefined, { probe: false });
-          snapshot.health = health;
-          snapshot.stateVersion.health = ++healthVersion;
+          if (healthCache) {
+            snapshot.health = healthCache;
+            snapshot.stateVersion.health = healthVersion;
+          }
           const helloOk = {
             type: "hello-ok",
             protocol: PROTOCOL_VERSION,
@@ -578,6 +618,10 @@ export async function startGatewayServer(port = 18789): Promise<GatewayServer> {
           });
           send(helloOk);
           clients.add(client);
+          // Kick a health refresh in the background to keep cache warm.
+          void refreshHealthSnapshot({ probe: true }).catch((err) =>
+            logError(`post-hello health refresh failed: ${formatError(err)}`),
+          );
           return;
         }
 
@@ -618,9 +662,25 @@ export async function startGatewayServer(port = 18789): Promise<GatewayServer> {
 
         switch (req.method) {
           case "health": {
-            const health = await getHealthSnapshot();
-            healthVersion += 1;
-            respond(true, health, undefined);
+            const now = Date.now();
+            const cached = healthCache;
+            if (cached && now - cached.ts < HEALTH_REFRESH_INTERVAL_MS) {
+              respond(true, cached, undefined, { cached: true });
+              void refreshHealthSnapshot({ probe: true }).catch((err) =>
+                logError(`background health refresh failed: ${formatError(err)}`),
+              );
+              break;
+            }
+            try {
+              const snap = await refreshHealthSnapshot({ probe: true });
+              respond(true, snap, undefined);
+            } catch (err) {
+              respond(
+                false,
+                undefined,
+                errorShape(ErrorCodes.UNAVAILABLE, formatForLog(err)),
+              );
+            }
             break;
           }
           case "chat.history": {
@@ -1047,6 +1107,7 @@ export async function startGatewayServer(port = 18789): Promise<GatewayServer> {
         restartExpectedMs: null,
       });
       clearInterval(tickInterval);
+      clearInterval(healthInterval);
       clearInterval(dedupeCleanup);
       if (agentUnsub) {
         try {